Decal applying



-OF VACUUM Dec. 22, 1970 I R- w. BENNETT ET AL 3,549,446

`DEcAL APPLYING Filed May 16, 1968 N F/g. To souRcE/\ 27 y( oF vAcuIJM25 o SOURCE OF 24 26 PREssuRlzED AERIFORM FLUID /IQG I I4 [3 I2 l I5 I7III L I'l /N VEN TRS. TO SOURCE Robert W. Benneh BY Robert F. WrenchAGENT NUnited States Patent O DECAL APPLYING Robert W. Bennett andRobert F. Wrench, Corning, N.Y.,

assignors to Corning Glass Works, Corning, N.Y., a corporation of NewYork Filed May 16, 1968, Ser. No. 729,695

Int. Cl. B44c 1/24, 3/08 U.S. Cl. 156-230 10 Claims ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE A method of applying or transferring the transfer film and anassociated design of a decal to the inner surface of a dish or otherdish shaped article, including the curved and sloping portions thereof,without wrinkles or blisters in such film following such transfer. Apair of complemental members capable of being hermetically cooperativelydisposed to form a hermetic cavity larger than said dish are providedand such dish is disposed in said cavity with the inner surface thereoffacing the entrance to the cavity. A decal, having a hole in the backingpaper only, is spread over the entrance to said cavity and said membersare cooperatively disposed as mentioned. Vacuum is supplied to theunfilmed surface of said backing paper to hold it in place and to saidtransfer film to draw such film off said backing paper `while air atatmospheric or higher pressure is supplied through said hole in thebacking paper to push said film off such paper and onto said innersurface.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to the art ofapplying or transferring the transfer films of decals to concavesurfaces, such as the inner surfaces of dishes or other dish likearticles, without blisters or wrinkles in said films following thetransfer thereof to said surfaces.

The transferring or application of decals to concavelycurved surfacessuch as, for example, the sloping'and curving portions of the innersurfaces of dishes or other dish-like articles has, heretofore, beenimpractical except by hand with the aid of a squeegee to remove blistersand wrinkles from the transfer films of the decals where they contactsaid sloping and curving portions of said inner surfaces. Such manualtransferring or application of decals is, of course, uneconomical and,therefore, the method of the present invention was conceived anddeveloped to provide for more economical decoration of articles of thetype mentioned by the use of decals.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION -In practicing the invention, there isprovided a pair of first and second complemental members which may becooperatively disposed in relationship with one another to provide ahermetic cavity for containing a dish like article during transfer of adecal to the inner surfaces of said article including the curving andsloping portions of such inner surface. A decal is disposed between saidmembers above said inner surface of said article disposed in said cavityand with the transfer film of such decal facing such surface. A hole isprovided in the backing paper of said decal at approximately the centerof the decal and a uid passage extends through the one of said members,which contacts the otherwise exposed surface of the backing paper, topermit air or other aeriform fluid at atmospheric or higher pressure toow through said hole in the backing paper and contact the transfer filmthereon. Vacuum is supplied to said surface of said backing paper tohold such paper in place, and to said cavity to draw said transer filmolf said backing paper while said air or similar fiuid flows throughsaid hole to press the transfer film against said inner surface of saidarticle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 comprises a top plan view of a decal which is to be transferredto the inner surface of a dish or similar article, and

FIG. 2 comprises a cross-sectional elevational view of apparatus used inpracticing the invention and illustrates the practice of the inventivemethod disclosed.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in each of thefigures of the drawings.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Referring to the drawings indetail, there is shown a decal 10 including the usual backing paper 11,the usual transparent and stretchable transfer film 12 on the topsurface of such backing paper, and an open type of a design ordecoration 13 on the top surface of such transfer film, it beingintended to transfer or apply such film and said design to the innersurface of a dish or dish-like article 15 (FIG. 2) including at least apart of the curved and sloping portions of such inner surface of suchdish or article. For purpose of simplification of FIG. 1, only a portionof backing paper 11 and transfer film 12 of decal 10 is shown in suchdrawing figure. `It will also be noted that the thicknesses of backingpaper 11, transfer film 12 and decoration 13 are somewhat exaggerated inFIG. 2 for purposes of ease of illustration thereof. A hole 14 of arelatively small diameter is provided through backing paper 11 atapproximately the center of transfer film 12 and decoration or design 13for purposes hereinafter discussed.

As shown in FIG. 2, there is provided a first member 16 embodying acavity 17 having a greater depth and diameter than the correspondingdimensions of dish 15. Member 16 has an annular rim 18 which surroundscavity 17 at the entrance end thereof. A second member 19 which iscomplemental to said first member is also provided, such second memberincluding a generally fiat surface 20 preferably, but not necessarily,having an annular gasket 21 of a resilient and hermetic material whichforms a rim portion of surface 20 and is considered a part of such fiatsurface.

A threaded passage 16a extends through member 16 and opens into cavity17. A cooperatively threaded end of a conduit 22 is screwed into thethreads in passage 16a and the other end of such conduit is connected tothe first end of a flexible conduit 23 in any convenient manner. Theother end of conduit 23 is connected to a source of vacuum or negativepressure which is not shown in the drawings for purposes ofsimplification thereof.

A first passage 19a is provided in member 19 at approximately the centerof such member and extends through such member and said flat surface 201thereof. An annular channel 20a is provided in bottom surface 20 ofmember 19 and surrounds passage 19a in such member at a generallyuniform distance from such passage. A second passage 19b extends throughmember 19 and opens into said channel 20a in bottom sruface 20 of member19. Passage 19b is threaded and a cooperatively threaded end of aconduit 24 is screwed into such passage. The other end of conduit 24 isconnected in any convenient manner to one end of a flexible conduit 25.The other end of such flexible conduit is connected to thepreviouslymentioned source of negative pressure or vacuum.

The outer end of passage 19a in member 19 is preferably left open toatmosphere but may, if found desirable or necessary, be connected to asource of pressurized aeriform fluid as illustrated in FIG. 2`. In thelatter event, passage 19a is threaded and one end of a cooperativelythreaded conduit 26 is screwed into such passage. The other end ofconduit 26 is connected in any convenient manner to a first end of aflexible conduit 27 and the other end of such flexible conduit isconnected to said source of pressurized fiuid which is also not shown inthe drawings for the purpose of simplication thereof.

In practicing the inventive method disclosed, a dish or other dish-likearticle, such as 15, is disposed in cavity 17 in member 16 as shown inFIG. 2. A decal 10 such as partially shown in FIG. 1 is provided, suchdecal having a transfer film 12 and a backing paper 11 of sizes largerthan the entrance into cavity 17 and such that they may, therefore, bedisposed between at least a portion of the areas of the surfaces ofannular rim portions 18 and 20 of members 16 and 19, respectively. Decal10 is spread over said rim portion 18 and cavity 17 in member 16, andabove said inner surface of article 15 as shown in FIG. 2. Thus, decal10 is disposed in Said position with the design thereon facing saidinner surface of article 15 and with the center of the transfer film 12of such decal substantially coinciding with the center of such innersurface, as also illustrated in FIG. 2. Member 19 is then disposed asshown in FIG. 2 and passage 19a in member 19 thereby generally coincideswith said hole 14 in backing paper 11 of decal 10 as illustrated.

Having positioned said items as described above, vacuum or negativepressure is applied through conduit 25 to passage 19b and thence to saidannular channel 20a. Such vacuum draws backing paper 11 of decal 10 upagainst surface 20 of member 19 to assist in holding such paper firmlyagainst such surface. Vacuum or negative pressure is, at the same timeor shortly thereafter, applied through conduit 23 to passage 16a andthence to cavity 17 in member 16. Such vacuum draws downwardly ontransfer film 12 and design 13 of decal 10` and, if pres,- surized fluidat higher than atmospheric pressure is not being employed, air atatmospheric pressure flows through passage 19a and hole 14 in backingpaper 11 to press against the back of transfer film 12 at such time.

During the continued application of said vacuum to cavity 17, air atatmospheric pressure supplied through hole 14 in backing paper 11 or, ifan aeriform fluid at a higher pressure is supplied to passage 19a aspreviously mentioned, such higher pressure fluid, will cause transferfilm 12 to separate from backing paper 11 progressively radially outwardfrom hole 14 and cause such film to stretch or balloon so that design 13and subsequently transfer film 12 are pressed into firm contact withsaid inner surface of article 15. During further continued applicationof vacuum to cavity 17, transfer film 12 will progressively be smoothlyspread over the entire inner surface of article 15 by the action of theair or other pressurized uid fiowing downwardly through passage 19a andhole 14 in backing paper 11 further stretching or ballooning transferfilm 12 in a direction from the center thereof radially outward fromsuch center toward and over the upper rim or lip of article 15 in asubstantially uniform manner. Thus, transfer film 12 and design 13 aretransferred or applied to the inner surface of article 15 with noblisters or wrinkles in such film where it contacts the curved andsloping portions of said inner surface. Member 19 is then removed, andthe continued application of vacuum through conduit 24 to channel 20aand through conduit 22 and 23 to cavity 17, and such removal of member19 during the continued application of said vacuum, completes theseparation of transfer film 12 from backing paper 11. The decorated dish15 is then removed from cavity 17 and run through a lehr or oven wherethe elevated temperatures oxidize or evaporate the transfer film leavingonly the decal design on the inner surface of dish'15.

It is pointed out that the decals such as 10 to be applied to the innersurfaces of dishes or dish-like articles such as 15 can be of the typeemploying a water soluble glue which holds the transfer film to thebacking paper, of the type using a thermal sensitive adhesive such aswax for adhering the transfer film to the backing paper, or othersimilar and suitable types of decals.

If, for example, a decal employing a thermal sensitive adhesive isemployed, such decal is preferably provided with a coating of heatsensitive material, such as wax, which covers the otherwise exposedsurface of the decoration or design such as 13 and which serves to holdthe decoration or design to the inner surface of the dish or articlesuch as 15 following the application of such design to such surface anduntil the dish is run through said lehr or oven. Such decals are wellknown to those skilled in the art. Alternatively, the inner surface ofthe article such as 15 can be sprayed with a thin coating of a thermallysensitive adhesive such as wax before being disposed in cavity 17 ofmember 16, and such coating will perform the same function as saidcoating provided on said other- Wise exposed surface of decoration ordesign 13. If a decal with a thermal sensitive adhesive is employed, theair or other pressurized aeriform fiuid supplied through passage 19a inmember 19 and thence through a hole, such as 14, in the backing paper ofthe decal can be heated and/or member 19 can be heated for separation ofthe backing paper and transfer film. It is also preferable, but notnecessary, when using a decal with a thermal sensitive adhesive, to heatthe dish or dish-1ike article such as 15 before disposing it in cavity17. It found expedient or desirable to do so, following the transfer ofsuch a decal to the inner surface of article 15, pressurized fluid canbe supplied through conduits 22 and 23 and the transfer film thusremoved from the decoration and adhesive prior to insertion of article15 into said lehr or oven.

If a decal employing a water soluble glue is employed for decal 10, thesurface of the transfer film of the decal upon which decoration ordesign 13 is provided, and in the areas thereof surrounding suchdecoration, may be provided with a suitable adhesive to adhere thedecoration or design to the inner surface of article 15 following itstransfer thereto and until the article is passed through said lehr oroven as previously mentioned. Alternatively, asy with the thermalsensitive decal, the inner surface of the article such as 15 can besprayed with a suitable adhesive material to obtain the -desiredtemporary adhesion. When a decal employing -water soluble glue isemployed, such decal is, of course, suitably wetted to allow the desiredtransfer of the transfer film and the decoration from the backing paperto the inner surface of said article such as 15. As is apparent, thewetting of a decal having a water soluble glue i-s most convenientlyperformed prior to its disposal between members 1K6I and 19for transferof said article.

The above-described preparations for the transfer of different types ofdecals are well known to persons skilled in the art and such personswill, therefore, readily recognize Vthe preparatory techniques to beused with each of the types of decals suitable for the practice of theinventivon.

Although there is herein shown and described in detail only one exampleof the practice of the method disclosed, it will be understood that suchis not to be considered in any way limiting but that the protectionsought for the invention disclosed is intended to be limited only by thespirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. The method of applying a transfer film of a decal to the innersurface of a dish-like article without wrinkles or blisters in the areasof said transfer film which contact the curved and sloping portions ofsaid inner surface following the application of such film to suchsurface, such method comprising:

(a) disposing said article in a first member including an annular rimsurrounding a cavity embodied in said member, such cavity having a depthand perimeter larger than the corresponding portions of said article,such member also embodying a passage extending through the member andinto said cavity, and said article being disposed in such cavity withsaid inner surface of the vessel facing the entrance to the cavity;

(b) disposing the backing paper of a decal against and about said rim ofsaid first member with such transfer film and the associated ornamentaldesign -facing said inner surface of said article and generally centeredin relationship to such surface, said transfer film being stretchableand having an area larger than the area of the entrance into said cavityand said design being disposed between such film and said inner surface,said backing paper of said decal including a hole of a relatively smalldiameter extending through such paper at a location approximately in thecenter of said transfer film;

(c) disposing against the then exposed side of said backing paper, in ahermetic relationship therewith, a generally fiat surface of a secondmember including a rim portion complemental to said rim of said firstmember, said second member embodying a first passage extending throughsuch member and including an opening through said fiat surface of themember at a location such that said opening will substantially coincidewith said hole in said backing paper when the fiat surface of saidsecond member is disposed as described, said second member alsoembodying at least one second passage extending through such member andopening through said fiat surface thereof for applying vacuum to theside of said backing paper contacting such fiat surface; and

(d) applying vacuum through said first passage in said first member andsaid second passage in said second member to draw said transfer film andsaid design away from said backing paper and press such film and designagainst said inner surface of said article while maintaining saidbacking paper against said fiat surface of said second member.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1 and in which said decal is ofthe type employing a thermal sensitive adhesive and, following thetransfer of said transfer film and design to said inner surface of saidarticle, supplying pressurized liuid through said passage in said firstmember to remove the transfer film from the design.

3. The method in accordance Vwith claim 1 and further includingsupplying pressurized fiuid through said first passage in said secondmember, substantially simultaneously with said application of saidvacuum, to assist the transfer of said transfer film and said design tosaid inner surface of said article.

4. The method in accordance with claim 1 and in which said secondpassage in said second member includes an annular channel surroundingsaid opening of said first passage in such member to evenly distributesaid vacuum, applied through such second passage, over a portion of thesurface of said backing paper which contactsl said first surface of saidsecond member.

5. The method in accordance with claim 3 and in which said secondpassage in said second member includes an annular channel surroundingsaid opening of said first f passage in such member to evenly distributesaid vacuum, applied through such second passage, over a portion of thesurface of said backing paper which contacts said fiat surface of saidsecond member.

6. The method of transferring the transfer film of a decal to the innersurface of a dish Without wrinkles or blisters in the areas of thetransfer film which contact the curved and sloping portions of saidinner surface following said transferring of said film, such methodcomprislng,

(a) providing a pair of first and -second complemental members havingrims which are cooperatively positional in a face-to-face hermeticrelationship with one another to form an enclosed hermetic cavity havinga depth and perimeter larger than and generally corresponding to thecorresponding portions of said dish, the second of said members having agenerally fiat surface defining the limits of the larger end of saidcavity and said first member embodying a passage extending through suchmember and opening into said cavity, said second member embodying afirst passage extending through said member and opening into said cavityat approximately the center of said fiat surface of 'such second memberand a second passage extending through the second member and openinginto an annular channel in said fiat surface of such member andgenerally uniformly surrounding said first passage in such member;

(b) disposing said dish in said cavity with the bottom outer surface ofsuch dish facing and generally centered in the smaller end of saidcavity;

(c) disposing said first and second members and the backing paper of adecal so that such paper contacts said fiat surface of said secondmember and said rims of both said members with the transfer film facingsaid inner surface of said dish and generally centered in relationshipto such surface, said transfer film being stretchable and having adiameter larger than the diameter of said larger end of said cavity andthe design on said transfer film being disposed between such film andsaid inner surface;

(d) providing a hole in said backing paper at a location generallycorresponding to the location where said first passage in said secondmember opens into said cavity and at a location approximately in thecenter of said transfer film;

(e) applying vacuum through said passage in said first member and saidsecond passage in said second member to draw said rims of said membersinto firm contact with said backing paper, and to draw said transferfilm away from said backing paper and transfer such film and design tosaid inner 'surface of said dish fwhile maintaining said backing paperin contact with said fiat surface of said second member; and

(f) thereafter separating said first and second members to remove saiddish from said cavity and said backing paper from the rims of suchmembers in preparation for transferring another decal to the innersurface of another dish.

7. The method in accordance with claim 6 and in which said decal is ofthe thermal sensitive adhesive type and including the further step ofsupplying pressurized fluid through said passage in said first member,following the transfer of said transfer film and design to said innersurface of said dish, to remove the transfer film from the design andleave it remaining on said inner surface.

8. The method in accordance with claim 6 and further includingsupplying, substantially simultaneously with said application of saidvacuum through said passage in said first member and said second passagein said second member, pressurized aeriform fiuid through said firstpassage in said second member to thereby assist the transfer of saidtransfer film and said design to said inner surface of said dish.

9. The method in accordance with claim 6 and in which at least a portionof at least one of said rims of said first and second members isprovided with an annular gasket of a resilient hermetic material toattain substan- 7 tially optimum hermetic contact with the surfaces ofsaid backing paper.

10. The method in accordance with claim 8 and in which at least aportion of at least one of said rims of said rst and second members isprovided with an annular gasket of a resilient hermetic material toattain substantially optimum hermetic contact with the surfaces of saidbackmg paper.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,359,825 10/1944 Campbell101-115 8 2,810,976 10/1957 Scott 156-230 3,378,422 4/1968 Kemp 156-247FOREIGN PATENTS 950,422 2/ 1964 Great Britain 156-230 LELAND A.SEBASTIAN, Primary Examiner U.S. C1. X.R.

